Slightly sweaty palms. Incessant reel of conversation starters running through your brain. Heart beating at an increasingly accelerated rate. Eyes peeled for any unsuspecting target with a certain glow about them. Deep breath, and commit!
Let’s face it. Street evangelism isn’t all that different from trying to pick someone up in a bar…
I would know; I’ve done both. I laugh at myself now, thinking back to any of the nine million times when I’ve tried to position my body just right under “mood” lighting, or worked to cast the perfect glance in order to catch a man’s attention, or better yet – spent twenty minutes working up the courage to approach a man and somehow manage to spew out clever dialogue that will completely woo him. What can I say? We girls can be a bit fickle…
Yesterday, while walking in the park with my new friend Alex, a local missionary in Draganesti-Olt, Romania, seeking the Lord’s guidance for our evangelism assignment, I couldn’t help recognizing a lot of the same pattern.
I found myself praying, “Lord, point out the person you’d have us talk to. Help us to look attractive. Make people curious about what we are doing.”
Bear in mind, we weren’t doing anything of interest. We literally walked through a 100’x75’ “park” and took refuge on a bench, from whence we continued to pray. “God, line up someone and something miraculous.”
20 minutes later… Nil. Sure, there were plenty of prospects, but literally, every time I’d set sights on someone, they would move. Or a friend would suddenly join them. Or a donkey pulling a wagon would pass by and distract any of us involved… welcome to Romania. Clearly, Alex nor I looked interesting enough, and so we joked that the next time we did this, he should bring his guitar and I’d sing along while he played. If nothing else, we might make a few lei.
As is typical with me, I grew antsy, and ambled around the park on my own for a few minutes. Somewhere along that walk, my prayer changed a bit. “God, where would you have me go?”
I scanned the premises to find that a bench that only moments before had been full now only held a lone man. Target spotted. Engage!
I crossed the grounds and approaching him with my best-practiced smile, extended my hand and said, “Hello. Do you speak English?” What a pick up line, eh? As it turns out, he didn’t.
Cue Alex, my incredible translator. Through him, I was able to explain to my new friend, and another gentleman who came up to check out this strange white woman, that I came from America and am spending this month working with Hope Church in Draganesti. When I asked if they attend church anywhere in the community, both explained that they are farmers and often don’t have time to attend services due to their workload. Little did they know they’d just given me conversation material to last a decade (or at least through the two weeks that we will be in Draganesti.)
Thank God for Ag classes! Stefan, Matika and I chatted about crops, livestock, growing seasons, prices and –their favorite topic- machinery. When “John Deere, Case, New Holland and Massey-Ferguson,” fell from my lips, I thought Stefan might leap from his perch on the bench. Apparently women here don’t know much about this stuff? Who knew? For the record – those names transcend ALL languages! Alex didn’t even have to translate; in fact, Stefan and I were able to teach Alex a few things about different tractor brands!
Somewhere along the way, we invited Stefan and Matika to visit Hope Church – I told them that no one else attending there farms and I’d love the chance to talk more with them about their production methods! We even talked about me visiting their farms! They both agreed to come, but only if I would come back to the park the following night and talk more with them. FIST PUMP!
Alex handed each of them copies of The New Testament, printed in the Romanesti language. I challenged them to read the Gospel of John in their versions, and I would read it in mine, then we would have even more to discuss on our next night in the park! They agreed. We shook hands and promised to see one another the following evening.
Evangelism, done right, is nothing like trying to pick someone up in a bar. It’s not a one-time punch that requires all the stars to align correctly, music to play just right, lighting to hit at direct angles and dialogue to play out to perfection. It’s actually a lot messier. It requires a lot more commitment. It’s meant to be lasting. And it’s way more worthwhile!
“Tupeu.” That’s what Alex said we needed. Translation? Confidence.
Whether evangelizing or just seeking relationships, you have to have confidence in the imperfections. Have confidence that God will guide your words. Have confidence that, when it’s the right person, you’ll be the most attractive you’ve ever been. And have confidence that God is a better matchmaker than you.
Be Blessed,
Ashlee
